


Save Me From My Dreams

by happyaspie



Series: Tony Stark is a Good Mentor [3]
Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe, Spider-Man: Homecoming (2017)
Genre: Emotional Hurt/Comfort, High School Exams, Nightmares, Peter Parker Needs a Hug, Peter Parker is a Mess, Peter Says It Back, Platonic Bed Sharing, Platonic Cuddling, Sleepless nights, Stress, Tony Says I Love You, Tony Stark Acting as Peter Parker's Parental Figure, Tony Stark is a Good Mentor, Tony Stark is helping
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-06-24
Updated: 2019-06-24
Packaged: 2020-04-24 18:46:59
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,197
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19179253
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/happyaspie/pseuds/happyaspie
Summary: Exams are stressful and between the anxiety and the nightmares, Peter can't seem to find sleep.  Tony just wants his kid to get some rest and he'd do anything to accomplish that.





	Save Me From My Dreams

**Author's Note:**

> This was originally meant to be Chapter 5 in the Story 'What I Really Need is You' but I ended up abandoning this one most of the way through. It was too much work to not finish and post as a stand-alone. :) 
> 
> If you'd like to read the story this was originally meant to be a part of, you can find it here:  <https://archiveofourown.org/works/19163302>

It was two in the morning on a Monday and Peter was stressed.  Exams were starting in a few hours and were set to go on for the entire week.  He'd made the mistake of spending an extra night with Tony and then proceeded to patrol until eleven despite the nagging feeling that he should be home studying.  By the time he did settle down with his books, it was after midnight and he was already tired.  At some point, when he could no longer focus on the chemical formulas he was trying to work through and decided that perhaps he should go to bed and hope for the best.  After all, chemistry was his best subject.  

 

The next morning he wasn't woken up by his alarm. Rather he was unpleasantly woken up by an outdated nightmare.  He hadn't had one of those in months.  Brushing it away as a 'once off' he started to get ready for school.  He was exhausted but these tests were the most important ones he would take all year and then soon after, it would be summer vacation.  He just needed to pass these classes first.

 

Shuffling mindlessly through the halls from one exam to the next Peter managed to make it through both exam periods and was able to catch a brief nap during lunch and his free period at the end of the day. He was sure he'd nailed the Chem Exam but he was a little iffy on the Spanish one he'd taken last.  While that wasn't his best subject, he still tended to be towards the top of the class.  He just hoped he didn't mix up his conjugations too badly.  He would do much better on the verbal portion later and hopefully, that would balance it out.

 

When school let out, his handful of power naps seemed to have been enough to get him through patrols and he was back in his window just before eleven.  From there he sat in his disk chain flipping through books and notes doing more worrying than actual studying before deciding to go make a pot of coffee.  He didn't usually drink the stuff but he really needed to at least go over his history times lines a few times and run through a few practice tests for math.   As such he was, once again in bed by two, though not really sleeping until much later.  He wasn't sure if it was the coffee or the anticipation of the next day's exams but even when sleep did come it wasn't restful, instead it was filled with unpleasant images that would wake him up before his alarm was set to go off.

 

The next several days went by in exactly the same fashion.  School, patrol, fret, study, fret some more, sleep, nightmare, repeat.  By Friday his eyes looked bruised and glossy with lack of sleep and his body ached.  Despite all of that he completed all of his test with what he was sure were passing if not top grades, with the assistance of a few power naps and several cans of energy drinks.

 

When he got out to the front of the school, Friday afternoon, he was so tired he couldn't see straight  Normally he would have been excited to see that Tony and not Happy had come to collect him but he didn't even notice at first.  "Hey, Kiddo! How was school?  Exams go okay, Buddy?"

 

"Huh?", Peter said in mild confusion because that didn't sound like Happy.  Happy never called him 'Kiddo' or 'Buddy', only Tony did that. "Tony?  What, what are you doing here?", he asked not unkindly.  He was tired and things weren't registering as they should.  

 

Tony frowned as he looked at the boy walking towards his car.  He looked awful.  "Kid, we agreed that I would pick you up today to celebrate you finishing the bulk of your exams.  Remember?  Ice cream?"

 

Peter scrunched up his face in concentration before answering.  "Oh, yeah.  We did talk about that didn't we."

 

"Pete, we just talked about that last night.  You couldn't have forgotten already.", the man laughed as the boy fell into his front seat.

 

"I've had a lot on my mind!", Peter defended.  "Like, school stuff, Tony.  It's hard to keep track of days when all you do is study, patrol and go to school."

 

Sighing, Tony placed a hand on the back of the kid's neck.  "I know it's been a long week, Kid.  If you want to go home after we get ice cream, I'd understand."

 

"No!", Peter replied with more alarm that was necessary before reeling himself in.  "I want to come with you."

 

"Alright, I wasn't trying to get rid of you.  You just look like you don't feel great, so I wanted to give you the option."

 

"I'm fine, Tony.", Peter reassured with a small smile.

 

~o~o~o~o~o~

 

 

Pulling into the garage at the compound, Peter was now rapidly talking just for the sake of keeping himself awake.  "Like, did you even know that was possible?  It's just so weird."

 

"Sure, Kid.", Tony humored from beside him.

 

"I mean it is though, right?", Peter asked once more, looking for a more compelling conversation.  "Whales, sleeping standing up is weird... actually when you look at the pictures it's almost creepy." 

 

Tony laughed at the boy's assessment as he turned off the car.  "We need to work on your definition of creepy, Kid."

 

Scrunching up his nose in distaste, Peter replied with an honest, "I'd rather not."  

 

~o~o~o~o~o~

 

Down in the lab, hiding his exhaustion was much harder.  The whir of the machines was oddly soothing and conversations were reduced to questions and explanations.  Not that there was never cheerful banter or continuous chatter in the lab, it's just that Peter was unable to maintain that level of social interaction at the moment.  in fact, he was considering laying his head down on the table for a moment when Tony grabbed him by the shoulder causing him to practically jump out of his chair.  "It's not funny!", Peter huffed as he tried to get his heart back where it belonged but Tony laughed all the same.

 

"Kid, you look like you're about to fall over", the man started, still fighting back the majority of his residual laughter.  "Why don't you take a nap.  I'll drive you home later.  Or, just stay here tonight, it's up to you but either way, you look like you need sleep, Bud."

 

"I don't need sleep.", Peter snapped, realizing too late that that reaction in particular probably wasn't helping his case any.  

 

Tony sighed, moving to now have one hand resting on each shoulder.  "You definitely need sleep, Kiddo.   If you don't want to go up to your room then at least lay down on the couch over there.", he suggested nodding towards the small sitting area they used to watch movies or take breaks when they worked.

 

"I'm okay, Tony. Really.", Peter tried to promise but the look on Tony's face was unconvinced.  "I will stay the night, though.  Maybe, maybe we can just watch movies after dinner?"

 

Softening his features, Tony smiled.  "That sounds like a plan.", he agreed, hoping that if he fed the kid a little early, maybe he'd fall asleep during the movie.  He looked beyond due for a good night's sleep and he should know.  He was kind of like the resident lack of sleep expert.

 

They worked for a couple of more hours before Tony was practically dragging Peter to the elevator.  He couldn't take the constant yawning and the way the kid was periodically swaying on his feet was disconcerting.  "Come on, it's dinner time."

 

"No, it's not. It's not even seven, yet.  You never eat until eight... or later.", Peter said in a somewhat accusatory tone. 

 

"That's because I usually forget.  Tonight I remembered.  Now, let's go.  I'm actually hungry for once and I know you can eat."

 

Sighing in defeat, Peter agreed. "I can always eat.", he said quietly.  Between being a teenaged boy and being enhanced he could eat all the time if it was an option.

 

Nodding in satisfaction, Tony moved on to his next question.  "Grilled cheese or Spaghetti ala Jar?"

 

Raising an eyebrow, a habit he'd picked up from all of his time with Tony, Peter looked at the man in confusion. "You're _making_ dinner?"

 

"Yeah, why not.  Sounds quicker than ordering something and then we can get right to our movie night."  ...and you right to sleep, he added internally with a small smile.  So far his plan was working out just fine.

 

~o~o~o~o~o~

 

Several hours later, sitting on the couch together, Tony realized that his plan _wasn't_ actually working.  Peter was still sitting beside him yawning and occasionally closing his eyes but definitely not sleeping. "What gives, Kiddo?", he asked curiously as the boy's chin dropped to his chest for the third time in as many minutes.

 

"I don't know what you mean.", Peter said as he sleepily readjusted himself on the couch so that his head would no longer droop.

 

Sounding nearly frustrated, Tony laid a hand on the boy's knee.  "Why don't you go to bed, or at least lay down here?  At least attempt to get some rest."

 

"I can't.", Peter practically whined.

 

Tony sighed.  "Can't?"

 

"My brain won't shut up.  ...and I'm nervous.", he said, intentionally leaving the fact that part of what he was nervous about was the dreams that had been plaguing him since the start of the week.

 

"Nervous about your grades?", the man asked with genuine concern.

 

Peter sighed and began to explain how he wanted to keep up his straight A's because he had to start thinking about college and a lot of fo schools would be looking at grade point averages. Then he went on to further explain how he had added pressure to keep his grades up.  Being a scholarship student had had to maintain a certain average to keep his spot.  If his grades ever fell they could decide at any moment to drop him from the assistance program because it was only offered to 'serious students who had the potential to meet and exceed expectations'.  Losing his place would mean changing schools. They wouldn't be able to afford a private education there.

 

"You don't have to worry about that.", Tony said with gentle determination. He could understand the boy's stress even though he didn't feel like it was warranted.

 

Peter scoffed and started to pull away from the hand that was still resting on his knee.  "I'm not going to ask you to pay for me to stay at my school if I _fail_..."

 

When the kid pulled away from him, Tony changed his position, to replace his hand but this time on the back of the boy's neck.  "You're right", he said adding some gentle pressure to his grip. "...because you're going to do _just fine._   You're a smart Kid.  Smart enough to keep up with me.  I think you can handle a few high school exams."

 

"I'm so tired.", Peter finally admitted through the tears that were starting to blur his vision.

 

"I know, Buddy.", he replied softly.  He was becoming accustomed to Peter sensitive spirit and had actually been waiting for the tears to start.  He hated to see it but that seemed to be how the kid dealt with his emotions.  It was probably a healthy response, really.  "That's why I keep telling you to go to bed."

 

"I won't be able to fall asleep.", Peter whimpered slightly.

 

Tony moved his hand from the boy's neck to his shoulder as he pulled him over into a firm side hug.  "Look, Why don't you go lay down for a while, if you're still awake in an hour, come find me.  Yeah?"

 

Peter nodded he head and went up the stairs towards his room, an extremely familiar route at this point.  He could  walk it with his eyes closed at this point.

 

~o~o~o~o~o~

 

It didn't take the full allotted hour for Peter to drift off into an uneasy sleep.  However, what felt like a sort time later, he woke up.  He groaned in frustration.  He was half hoping that being in a different bed would help him stay asleep.  Looking at the clock he'd only been in his room for a couple of hours.  That meant he might have gotten somewhere around a forty-five-minute nap.  Wiping the residual tears off of his cheeks he asked FRIDAY where he could find his mentor.

 

Tony sighed when the kid came wandering into the lab looking sweaty and disheveled.  "FRIDAY said you went to sleep, Kiddo.", the man murmured as more of a question than a statement.

 

Peter shrugged his shoulder and padded across the floor, still shivering,  towards where the man was working.  "I guess I woke up.", he replied timidly. 

 

Holding out his arms for Peter to fall into, Tony took a deep breath.  "You know stress, nightmares, and insomnia... they're a vicious cycle.", he whispered, inferring that was the problem based on the boy's appearance and demeanor.

 

"How do I make it stop?", Peter whined into his mentor's chest.

 

"You talk about it... try to alleviate some stressors....", Tony murmured as the boy tucked his head under his chin.

 

"I can't!", Peter half shouted, pulling out of the man's grasp.

 

Confused, Tony decided to question the kid who was now shifting his weight from foot to foot, arms tightly wrapped around his middle.  "Can't what? Talk about it or ease the stress?"

 

"The stress.  I can't.  It's, there's so much.  My grades can't fall and the city needs me.  ...School's almost over.  I'm just not sure I can put up with this for that long.", Peter admitted, a singular tear slipping down his face.

 

"So let's talk.", Tony said softly as he wiped away the stray tear.  "Come one, couch or bed?"

 

"Couch.", Peter said, leading the way.

 

Once comfortably seated Tony took a deep breath, ready to get his piece out of the way.  "I'm gonna talk first.  Your grades?  Not a concern.  There is no way you aren't passing every single class.  If you don't end the year with the 4.0 you want... that's fine too.  You know I plan on writing you a doozy of a recommendation letter and do you know how many of those I've written up until now?  _Zero_.  So, I'm pretty sure it will carry some weight.  Don't be so hard on yourself.  Things will work out just fine."

 

"I know but it's hard.", Peter whined again, leaning onto Tony's side, if for no other reason than to hide the tears that were still slipping silently down his cheeks.

 

"I'm trying to make it easier.  Trust yourself.  You've got this, Kid.", the man firmly stated, placing a hand on the boy's head, easing it down onto his lap.  "Now, why don't you lay down and tell me what's haunting you."

 

"Everything.", Peter whimpered slightly.

 

Frowning in concern, Tony froze for a moment.  "Everything?  Everything how?"

 

"Failing, falling, people dying... you name it.", Peter laughed humourlessly. 

 

"Oh, kid.", Tony soothed. "You're not going to fail and I will always catch you.  Yeah?", he added, as he started to rub the boy's back.  "I'm going to need you to be a little more specific on the last one there, Buddy."

 

"I dream about May, Ned, MJ and... well, you.  I dream that I can save any of you.", Peter mumbled after a few silent moments.

 

Tony sighed.  "That would never happen."

 

"It's happened before!", Peter exclaimed with a different kind of passion than Tony was used to hearing from the kid.

 

"Kid... I don't, I don't understand--"

 

"--I was there!", The kid nearly shouted as if that was explanation enough.

 

Placing a hand on Peter's chin he urged the boy to look up at him.  "There for what, Kiddo?"

 

"When Uncle Ben died.  I was there.", Peter said quietly after meeting his mentor's eye.  Then after only a short stretch of eye contact, he turned his head away again, still resting it on the man's thighs.  "I had my powers and I didn't do anything.  I could have but I didn't.  He died because I stood there and did nothing."

 

"Peter.", Tony murmured with as much care and concern as he could pack into a singular utterance.  "That's not true.  You had no way of knowing..."

 

"It doesn't matter!  I should have stopped it.", Peter cried out at the very edge of sobbing.

 

"That was not your fault.  You were a kid, Pete.  You still are.  Not your fault.", Tony rapidly assured.

 

Rolling onto his back so that he could look up at his mentor, Peter confessed.  "I _feel_ like it was and I'm _worried_  it'll happen again."

 

"It won't.  _I know you_ and you would put everything you have into saving someone you love and honestly... that kind of terrifies me.", Tony admitted in return, running a hand through Peter's hair as the continued to look at each other.

 

With confusion written all over his face, Peter's eyes grew wide.  He couldn't register why being a hero would terrify his mentor.  He was a hero too.  He should understand better than anyone.  "W-Why?"

 

"Because I can't lose you.  _I love you too much_.", Tony granted with honestly.  "I know I don't say... but I do.  If anything ever happened to you, I would be... I would be _so, so sad._ "

 

"I love you too", Peter whispered with a smile.  That was an acknowledgment that he'd never expected either of them to ever make but he was beyond comforted to hear it.

 

"Let's go to bed alright?  I'll come too.", Tony Whispered after a few minutes of watching the boy's eyes slip closed.  After that, the two of them climbed the stairs leading to Peter's bedroom.  Ushering Peter in first, Tony easily followed. Once settled under the blankets, Peter's head ended up on Tony's chest as if he were a pillow.  "Comfy?", Tony asked, his laugh rumbling in Peter's ear.

 

"Mm-hmm.  You make a good pillow.", Peter mumbled, snuggling in a little more closely. 

 

Tony smiled, having no idea what to do with a comment like that.  "Thanks?  That's a compliment, right?"

 

"Mm-hmm.", Peter agreed with a smile on his lips.

 

Tony sighed, and started combing his finger's through Peter's hair, he'd seemed to have liked that earlier.  "Alright, think you can sleep now?"

 

"I hope so.  I'm tired.", the sleep-deprived boy whispered.

 

"I'll be right here if you wake up.", Tony whispered in return because he would be.  He was going to do whatever it took to make sure Peter got the sleep he'd been so desperately chasing that week.  "Good night, Kiddo."

 

"Good night, Tony.  _I love you._ ", Peter mumbled as he was already half asleep.

 

Even though he was pretty sure that the kid was already out like a light, Tony returned the sentiment before allowing himself to drift off as well.  Neither of them waking until late the next morning.   


End file.
